Member-Guest Goes Two Extra Holes

What a finish!!
The 9th Annual Northland Member-Guest Tournament ended on the second extra playoff hole just after 8:00 this evening, with the team of Judd Medak and Kent Davyduke claiming the Waterford crystal trophies for first place over the team of David Letourneau and Tom Conroy.Winners of the 11 flights were grouped in the event-ending shoot-out that began at 3:30 this afternoon. In the first group pictured above were Tim & Gregg McCall, Steven Landwehr & Jay Thomas, Kris Zuber & Kraig Karakas, Kent Davyduke & Judd Medak, Dan Baresh & Bruce Wagers, and Cory Cartier & Travis Merrick.
Players in the second group of shoot-out participants included Mark Sams & Joe Golcz, Tom Hom & Steve LaFlamme, Ray Peterson & Brock Peterson, Ed Speck & Bill Langtot, and David Letourneau & Tom Conroy.
In the shoot-out format, one team is eliminated from each of the two groups on holes 1 through 3, with each team playing in an alternate shot format. Any ties are broken with a chip-off. The teams of Tim & Gregg McCall and Steve LaFlamme & Tom Hom were eliminated on the first hole, while the teams of Kraig Karakas & Kris Zuber and Ray Peterson & Brock Peterson were eliminated on the second hole.
On the third hole, the team of Cory Cartier & Travis Merrick made the decision to have Merrick play from the deep rough left of the green (photo on the right), chipping out and eventually making a double bogey six, forcing a chip-off with the Baresh-Wagers team. The Cartier-Merrick team came up short and was eliminated.
The team of Golcz-Sams was eliminated on 15 following a chip-off with the team of Thomas-Landwehr, with Landwehr almost holing out.
On 16, Thomas-Landwehr were forced to take a drop after one of their shots ended up on the creek fronting the green. Landwehr is shown dropping in the photo on the right. The pair was able to force a chip-off with Medak-Davyduke, but they lost and were eliminated from the shoot-out.
With just three teams remaining, the excitement level picked up as the play continued on #17. Each of the remaining teams was forced into a chip-off. In the photo on the right, Dan Baresh prepares to chip from just left and in front of the green. Baresh's chip was within 8 feet of the hole, but he and Wagers were eliminated as the other two teams were able to put their shots closer to the pin. It was on to 18 with just two teams remaining and a large gallery waiting at the clubhouse for the finish.
Both teams were able to play second shots into the 18th green from approximately 125 yards on the 412 yard hole. In the photo on the right, David Letourneau is shown as he makes a four-foot uphill putt for par sending the match into a sudden death playoff.
It was back down 18 for the playoff. In the photo below, Medak has just played the team's second shot from the 1st hole fairway while Letourneau was playing the second shot for his team from approximately 120 yards away in the center of the 18th fairway. Both shots came up just short of the green and the teams halved the hole. It was back down 18 for yet another time.
This time, Medak & Davyduke were able to pull the match out and claim the tournament title.
In the photos below, Letourneau & Conroy are shown as they walk off the green and Medak & Davyduke are shown with the tournament crystal.
Following the event, the winning team admitted that despite their professional hockey careers which have resulted in some tense moments, they have never experienced the emotions that came with the win today during the Member-Guest.
Tournament Chair Joe Jeannette took a moment to thank and congratulate all participants and offered special praise to the golf staff at Northland, especially Director of Golf Joe O'Connor and Golf Assistant Sarah LeClair for their tournament management, to Superintendent Chris Tritabaugh and his crew for the excellent playing conditions, and to the food & beverage staff for their outstanding service throughout the three-day event.